The New England Patriots made Drake Maye the No. 3 overall pick in last month's NFL Draft. He is set to begin the season behind Jacoby Brissett on the depth chart, but that should flip sooner than later. New England is not positioned to win a lot of games next season. As new head coach Jerod Mayo gets his feet wet and learns the ropes, so will Maye.
In terms of natural talent, Maye is one of the best QB prospects in recent memory. He was the victim of a strong draft class — Caleb Williams is truly generational and Jayden Daniels put together a one-of-one Heisman campaign for LSU — but Maye would have been a No. 1 pick candidate most years. He's listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, possessing the size and strength to stand tall in the pocket, as well as the mobility to roll out and create on the move.
He doesn't quite qualify as a dual-threat QB, but Maye has every tool in the toolkit. He needs to improve his accuracy and consistency, but he should get a long runway in Foxboro. The 21-year-old can make every throw in the book. What Maye lacks most right now is a solid supporting cast.
The Patriots' wide receiver room qualifies as one of the worst in football. So does the offensive line, and so does the running back room. Without adequate protection or a decent set of playmakers, it won't really matter how far Maye progresses. We've seen this story before with Mac Jones. Constant pressure and a losing environment can completely tank a once-promising prospect.
New England can avoid that fate with a few tweaks, of course. The Patriots have been floated as a trade destination for several big-name wideouts, such as Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel in San Francisco or Tee Higgins in Cincinnati. The dream outcome, however, involves a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
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The above trade was proposed by Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine. Justin Jefferson remains unextended by the Vikings, who allegedly attempted to trade up for his replacement in the NFL Draft. The veracity of that rumor varies depending on where you look, but it's clear Minnesota has at least entertained the idea of moving on.
If Minnesota balks at the idea of handing Jefferson a historic contract while Kevin O'Connell works to install a rookie quarterback, the Patriots can take advantage. Jefferson would absolutely aid J.J. McCarthy's development in Minnesota, but there is understandable trepidation to tie up cap space in a single playmaker when the primary offensive fulcrum is unproven. McCarthy is inexperienced, even by 21-year-old prospect standards, and the veteran alternative of Sam Darnold isn't all that reassuring.
Now, the Patriots would deploy the inverse logic for this trade. With a less expensive roster and a long rebuild ahead, New England pays Jefferson his worth and uses the NFL's most explosive playmaker to help their rookie along. Jefferson can run a variety of routes — he gains separation with a deadly first step and is a monster after the catch. Even if the Patriots need to simplify the playbook for Maye in the early going, he is going to build a steady and fruitful rapport with Jefferson.
So much of rookie success in the NFL — especially success for rookie quarterbacks — is tied to team circ*mstance. The Patriots' scheme should be friendly enough under new OC Alex Van Pelt, but Maye is going to struggle if he doesn't have a reliable set of hands or enough time to make his progressions. Jefferson is an easy No. 1 target, but he's also a pressure-relief valve for Maye to trigger whenever the pocket collapses and his decision-making is sped up. Just look for Jefferson, toss it up, and good things will generally happen.
The Vikings essentially take the long route back to contention, stockpiling a wealth of future draft picks to retool around McCarthy. That Patriots' first-round pick has the potential to be quite valuable (Jefferson alone won't stack too many wins). Meanwhile, more future picks means more flexibility for a major trade if the Vikings decide to re-accelerate their timeline.
Minnesota dumping the best WR in the NFL at 24 years old is a bad look, but it's somewhat understandable. Especially if Jefferson doesn't feel great about the state of affairs post-Kirk Cousins. Not that he would feel better about New England, but the Patriots are a prestige franchise and Maye has some definite shades of Kirko in his approach. Maybe this all works out for both sides.
It's a definite gamble for the Patriots financially, but generally, employing the best WR in football is a good thing.
Patriots grade: A-
Vikings grade: C
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